Operating device for hot-line clamps



Jan. 2l, 1930. H. w. BoDENDlEcK OPERATING DEVICE F013 HOT LINE CLAMPS Filed June 23, 1927 Z N VEN TOR Patented Jan. 212r 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY w. BonnNnIEcx, or TAYLOIWILLE, ILLINOISL AssIGNon To TIPS TOOL COM- PANY, INooaPORA'rEn, OF TAYLOIWILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS OPERATING DEVICE FOR HOT-LNE CLAMPS Application led June 23,

This invention relates toa tool or operating device for tightening and releasing the screw member of a clamp that is used for connecting an electrical conductor, such, for example, as

a jumper or branch line, to a hot line, i. e.,

`a high tension supply line through which electric current is flowing.

The main object of my Invention is to 4provide an operating device for a hot line clamp of the kind referred to, that aifords complete protection to theY user and which is of such construction that it will firmly grip the screw member of the clamp and can be easily connected with and disconnected from said' screw member.

Another object of myinvention is to provide a tool which is of such design that a lineman on a pole can use the tool to position a clamp on a hot line or to tighten or release the screw member of a clamp mounted on a hot line and located at a point above the lineman and a considerable distance to one side of the pole. 'Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view of an operating device for a hot line clamp constructed in accordance with' my invention, illustrating the device arranged in operative engagement with the screw member of the clamp.

'Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of said device.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device,` illustrating how it is engaged with the disengaged from the screw member Of the clamp; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, w ldesignates a high tension supply line and y desig nates an electric conductor, such, for eX- ample, as a jumper or branch line that is connected with the supply line w by a clamp a that comprises a screw member fw which is" 1921". serial No. 200,922.

direction to release the clamp and permit it Y to be removed from the supply line My improved tool or operating device comprises a handle A of any preferred length,

constructed of wood or any other suitable insulating material, `and co-operating members or jaws B and C at the upper end of the handle A designed sov that they can be arranged in operative engagement vwith the eye or head piece s on the screw member w of the clamp by moving the handle A in one direction, and disengaged from said eye or head piece by moving said handley in the Opposite direction. The co-operating jaws B and C can be constructed in various ways without departing from the spirit of 'my in- Qvention, but in the form of my invention herein illustrated said jaws are arranged in sliding relationship and are so designed that the upward, longitudinal movement of the handle A causes saidjaws to firmly grip the head piece s on the screw member W, thereby enabling said screw member to be turned or rotated, and downward, longitudinal movement of the handle A cause the said jaws to assume such a position that they can be easily vertically-disposed portion of the jaw C which carries the bifurcated hook 1 is arranged in opposed relation with the vertically-disposed leg of the jaw B and is spaced away from said leg a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the eye or head piece,

on the 'screw member fw of the clamp, so that when the jaws B and C. are arranged in their Vclosed position, as shown in Figure 1, the head piece or eye of the screw member fw of the clamp will be held against turning by the opposed, vertically-disposed portions of the jaws B and C. The jaw C is alsol preferably provided with a laterally-projecting lug 2 that is arranged in longitudinal headpiece s of the screw member of the clamp,

so as to'form an open-sidedpocket for receiving said head piece. The jaws B and C are combined in such a manner that they can reciprocate relatively to each other so as to cause the vertical leg of the jaw B to move towards or away from the bifurcated hook 1 of the jaw C in the operation of engaging the device with the screw member w of the clamp or disengaging said device from said screw member.

In the form of my invention herein illustrated the shank 3 of the tool that carries the jaw B is rovided at one side with parallel, longitudinally-disposed flanges 4 that embrace the side edges of the plate-like prtion of the jaw C and forni a guideway in which the jaw C moves vertically. Any suitable means can be used for limiting the I reciprocating movement of the jaw C relatively to the jaw B, or vice versa, such, for example, as a screw or stud 5 on the shank 3 that projects into an elongated slot 6 formed in the jaw C. In order to hold the jaws B and C in their open position and in their closed position, the laterally-projecting lug 2 on the jaw C is equipped with a springpres-sed ball or other suitable friction device 7 that acts on the inner side of the vertically-n disposed leg of the jaw B, it being preferable to form a notch or recess 7a in the linner face of said leg adjacent the lower end of same so as to receive the ball 7 when the jaws B and C are in their closed position. The recess/7 is not absolutely essential, however, as the frictional pressure which the device 7 exerts on. the vertical leg of the jaw B eliminates the possibility of said jaws moving accidentally relatively to each other, either when the jaws are closed and in engagement with the head piece s on the screw member 'w of the clamp, as shown in Figure 1, or separated so as to permit them to be disengaged from said head piece.

n order that the device may be used conveniently to rotate the screw member of a clamp that is positioned on a hot line located at a point a considerable distance above and to one side of the lineman who is using the device, a ball and socket joint is arranged between the shank 3 that carriesthe jaw B and the operating handle A of the device. Any suitable type of universal joint can be used between these parts, but in the tool herein shown the handle A is provided at its upper end with a socket piece 8 that carries a ball member 9 which is embraced by a socket member 10 attached to the shank 3, said ball member 9 being provided with a plurality of laterally-projecting pins 11 that are positioned in elongated slots 12' in the socket member 10. A spring 13 is arranged between the ball member 9 and the socket member 10, so

as to normally hold said parts separated with the ins'll on the ball member ositioned at the ower ends of the` slots 12 1n the socket member, thereby holding the shank 3 in longitudinal alignment with the handle A. If it is desired to arran e the shank 3 in' angular relationship with t e handle, as is sometimes;l

-the jaws B and C in their open position,

shown inFigure 3, by pulling the jaw C upwardly or pulling the jaw B downwardly.

The bifurcated hook 1 at the upper end of the jaw C is then slipped laterally over the eye or head piece s on the screw member of the clamp, and the handle A is then swung laterally so as to arrange the plate-like portion of the jaw C in parallel relationship with the eye s of said screw member. Thereafter, the handle A is pushed upwardly so as to move the jaw B upwardly into such a position that the vertical leg of same' will lap over the head piece s of the screw member fw of the clamp, and thus act as a closure for the open-sided pocket on the jaw C'as shown in Figure 1, the jaw C remaining at rest when the handle A is pushed upwardly, due to the fact that the lug 2 on same is then in engagement with the lower end of said headpiece. After the jaws of the device have been closed, as above described, the handle A can be rotated either to release or tighten the screw member w-of the clamp, without liability of the jaws B and C turning relatively to the head piece of said screw member, and without liability of said jaws becoming accidentally disengaged from said head piece. When it is desired to disengage the jaws B and C from the head piece of the screw member w, it is only necessary to pull the handle A downwardly, which operation causes the vertical leg of the jaw B to move downwardly into such a position that the upper end of same will clear the lower end of the head piece s of the screw member, the jaw. C remaining at rest during this operation, due to the fact that the bifurcated hook 1 at the upper end of said jaw is then resting upon the head piece .9 of the screw member. After the jaws have been separated, as above described, the handle A can be swung laterally and the hook 1 at the upper end of the jaw C can be lifted out of engagement with the head piece s of the screw member of the clamp. In using the tool to position a clamp on a hot line, the head piece on the screw member of the clamp is arranged in operative position between the jaws of the tool when said jaws are open, and after said jaws have been closed to firmly grip the head piece on said screw member, the handle of the tool is mani ulated so as to arrange the clamp in operat1ve osition on the hot line.

Thereafter, the han le of the tool is rotated so as to rotate the screw member of the clamp in the direction to cause the clamp to be securely fastened to the hot line.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a tool of the construction above described can be-used to position a clamp on a hot line and to tighten or release the screw member of a clamp mounted on a hot line, without subjecting the operator to danger, due to the fact that the jaws B and C of the tool are carried by a handle A of'wood or other suitable insulating material. After the jaws of the tool have been engagedwith the head iece on the screw member of the clamp, there 1s no liability of said jaws accidentally slipping oi of said head piece, and as the jaws can be closed or opencdsimply by pushing the handle A of the tool upwardly or pulling it downwardly, it is a very simple matter to connect the jaws of the tool with the screw member of the clamp or disengage said jaws from said screwy member. While the ball and socket joint or universal joint between the jaws of the tool and the operating handle A are not essential, I prefer to con'- struct the tool in this manner, so as to make it possible to open or close the jaws when the handle A of the tool is disposed at an angle to said jaws, as, for example, when the clamp that is being positioned, tightened or released is located on ahot line at a point a considerable distance above the lineman on the pole and a considerable distance at one side of the pole.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a jaw having portions for engaging the upper side and lower end of a head piece on the screw member of the clamp, a co-operating jaw for preventing accidental disengagement of said head piece and the jaw that receives same, and a handle for changing the relative position ofsaid jaws. f

2. An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, jaws at the upper end of said handle that are adapted to engage a head piece on the screw member of the clamp,

said jaws being adapted to be opened by moving the handle longitudinally in one direction and adapted to be closed by moving the handle longitudinally in the opposite direction, opposed portions on said jaws between which said head piece lies, means for preventing said headjpiece` from moving longitudinally relatively..l to one of said jaws, and a universal joint arranged between said handle'and jaws. 3. An operating device for a hot line clamp,

comprising a handle, a jaw at the upper end of said/handle rovided with an open-sided pocket that is a a ted to receive a head piece on the screw mem er of the clamp, and a c ooperating jaw for holding said head piece. 1n said pocket, adapted to be rendered operative by moving the handle longitudinally in one direction, and rendered inoperative-by moving the handle longitudinally in the opposite Idirection 4( An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, co-operating jaws at the upper end of said handle constructed so as to embrace-the opposite side faces and the upper and lower end of the head piece on the screw member of the clamp and designed so that longitudinal movement of said handle in opposite directions reciprocates one jaw relatively to the other, and a friction device combined with said jaws for preventing accidental movement of said jaws relatively to eachother.

5. An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, two jaws at the upper end of said handle constructed so that one jaw can be slid relatively to the other by moving the handle longitudinally, spaced elements on one of said jaws that are adapted to be arran ed in engagement with the upper endand -ower end of the head piece on the screw member of the clamp, and a part on the the other jaw for preventing said head piece from becoming accidentally disengaged from said spaced elements.

6.' An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, two jaws at the upper end of said handle constructed so that vertical movement of the handle will cause one jaw to move longitudinally relatively to the other, a hook on one jaw that is adapted to be engaged with the top side of a head piece on the screw member of the clamp, a lug on said jaw that is adapted to engage the lower end of said head piece, and a part on the other jaw arranged so as to prevent said hook and lug from becoming accidentally disengaged from the head piece of the clamp when the jaws are in their closed position.

7. An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a shank provided with a jaw, a co-operating jaw reciprocatingly mounted on said shank and provided with portions arranged so that they can be engaged with the head piece on the screw member of the f lamp when said jaws are in their open position, and means for closing said jaws.

8. An operating device for a hotline clamp, comprising a handle, a jaw at the upper end of said handle `provided with a verticallydisposed portion, a co-operating jaw slidingly combined with the jaw first referred to, and laterally-projecting portions on said co-operating jaw adapted to be arranged in engagement with the upper end and `lower end of a head piece o n the screw member of the clamp, the vertically-disposed portion of the jaw first referred to being adapted to be moved upwardly so as to overlap said head iece.

9. An operating device for a hot ine clamp, comprising a handle, a shank at the upper end of said handle, a rigid jaw on said shank provided with a vertically-disposed portion, a co-operating jaw reci rocatingly' combined with said shank, a bi urcated hook 'at the upper end'of said co-operating jaw, and a laterally-projecting lug on said co-operating jaw arranged in spaced relation with said hook. v

10. An operating device lfor a hot line clamp, comprising a handle rovided with a jaw, a shank at the upper end) of said handle, a co-operating jaw reciprocatingly mounted on said shank and provided with an opensided pocket that is adapted to be closed by the jaw on the shank, and a friction device on one of said jaws that bears against the other jaw and thus tends to hold said jaws in the position into which they have been adj usted.

11. An operating device for a hot lineY clamp, comprising a handle rovided with a jaw, a shank at the upper en of said handle, a co-operating jaw reciprocatingly mounted on said shank and provided with a plurality of angularly-disposed portions that co-operate with the jaw on the shank to form a space for receiving the head piece on the screw member of the clamp, a friction device y on one ofsaid jaws that bears against the other jaw and thus tends to hold said 'aws in the osition into which they have een adjusted), and a universal joint arranged between said handle and shank.

12. An operating handle for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, a shank at the upper end ofsaid handle, a substantially L- shaped rigid jaw on said shank, guides on said shank, a co-operating jaw slidably mounted in said guides, a laterally-projecting lug on said' sliding jaw provided with a friction device 'that bears against the vertical leg of said L-shaped jaw, and a hook on said sliding jaw arranged in spaced relation with said lug.

13. An operating device for a hot line clamp comprising a handle, jaws at the upper end of said handle that are ada ted to engage a head piece on the screw mem er of the clamp,

said jaws being adapted to be opened by moving the handle longitudinally in one direction and adapted to be closed by moving the handle longitudinally in the opposite direction, and a connection between said jaws and handle that normally holds the handle and jaws in longitudinal alignment with each other but which is adapted to be manipulated so as to provide for a lateral movement of the handle relatively to the jaws.

v14. An operating ydevice for a hot line clamp, comprisin a handle, jaws at the upper end of said han le that are adapted to engage ahead piece o'n the screw member of the' clamp, a universal joint arranged vbetween said handle and jaws, and a means that normally maintains said universall joint in an inactive condition and adapted to be manipulated by an upward thrust of the handle to render said universal Vjoint o erativewwhen it is desired to move the hand e laterally with relation to said jaws.

15. An operating device for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, yjaws at the upper end of the handle, and a universal joint between said handle and jaws comprising a ball member, a socket member that receives said ball member, a slot and pin connection between said ball member and socket member, and a spring that normall prevents the ball member from turning re atively to the socket member but whichis adapted to be compressed. so as to ermit the ball member to turn slightly re atively to the socket members 16. An operating handle for a hot line clamp, comprising a handle, jaws at the upper end of said handle, a connection between said jaws and handle comprising a ball and socket joint, and a sprin for normally holding said ball and socket joint in an inactive condition adapted to be compressed by an upward thrust of the handle so as to render said balland socket joint active and thus permit the handle to be swung laterally with relation to the jaws. A

HENRY W. BODENDIECK. 

